TECHNOLOGY TIPS - NEW VIRUS SPREADING THROUGH CORPORATE NETWORKS MICROSOFT VULNERABLE
There is a new variant on a computer virus that may leave Microsoft Windows users vulnerable to digital hijacking. It's currently spreading through companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia, already infecting close to 9 million machines, according to a private online security firm.
The virus gives the illusion of being a dud. The Finland-based
F-Secure says a virus it has been tracking for the past several weeks
has surged more rapidly through corporate networks than anything
they've seen in years.
The virus's coding suggests a type of bug that
alerts computer users to bogus infections on their machines and offers
to help by selling them antivirus software. It appears the virus is simply spreading to little effect, though it may still pose a threat to infected computers.
"The gang behind this worm haven't used it yet," F-Secure's chief
research officer, Nikko Hypponen said by phone. "But they could do
anything they like with any of these machines at any time."
Microsoft issued a security update Tuesday to deal with the so-called
"Downadup" or "Conficker" virus, which appears to be a new version of a
bug that popped up in October.
"Over the last couple of weeks,
a new variant of this worm has been affecting customers," the company
acknowledged in a blog post. Microsoft said the virus is spreading by
gaining access to one computer and then guessing at passwords of other
users in the same network: "If the password is weak, it may succeed."
A company representative couldn't immediately be reached Saturday to
comment on F-Secure's estimate of infected machines.
Most
computers with Windows will automatically download Microsoft's security
update, but Hypponen said the virus disables updates on infected
machines.
To learn more about this virus and the Microsoft fix, click here.
CATHY MALLERS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
